Wall structure for sheet-metal houses.



C. D. PRUDEN.

WALL STRUCTURE FOR SHEET METAL HOUSES. APPLICATION FILED MAY13, 19H.

1,2Q4,665 Patented May1,1917.

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CLARENCE D. PRUDEN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

WVALL STRUCTURE FOR SHEET-METAL HOUSES.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented May 1, 1915?.

Application filed May 13, 1914. Serial No. 838,194.

Houses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet metal houses and has particular reference to that class of metal houses such as are shown in U. S. Letters Patent 1,016,032

and 1,062,994 granted to me.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of vertical Walls for sheet-metal houses whereby air-spaces are formed within the walls, and also whereby a neat finish is formed on the wall surface that is exposed to View on the interior of the house.

Figure 1, shows a horizontal cross-section through two vertical Walls showing one side wall and the corner joint between the same and another side wall that extends at right angles thereto.

Fig. 2, illustrates a vertical sectional detail through one of the walls showing the outer and inner wall members, as would appear if taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, shows a face view of the wall as viewed from the inside of the house.

Fig. 4:, shows a detail of the lower notched end of the connecting bar.

Fig. 5, shows a similar view of the lower end and the edge of one of the inner wall sections, and

Fig. 6, shows a horizontal cross-sectional detail through a portion of a vertical wall in which a partitlon is interposed between the outer and inner walls, thereby forming two air-chambers one at each side of the partition.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5, designates a foundation on which the floor 6, is laid and around the edge of which I usually secure angle bars 7. These angle-bars are usually united at their corners by a plate 8, on which the ends of ad jacent bars rest and to which said bars may be bolted "'or riveted as shown at 9.

The outer vertical wall is formed of sheetmetal plates or sections 10, which are preferably provided with vertically-extending corrugations 11, and the lower edge of these outer wall plates seat on the upper slde of the horizontal flange of the angle-bars and at the outer side of the vertical flange of said bars, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The vertical longitudinal edges of each .outer wall plate or section is provided with an outwardly-extending roll, 12, and the adjacent edge rolls of the wall sections are united by a vertical connecting sheet-metal bar 13. Each sheet-metal connecting bar has substantially a T-shape in cross-section in that it has a central vertical web 14, formed by a fold in the metal, and'is also provided with two laterally-extending head flanges 15, which extend in opposite directions from the crease in the fold. Each head flange of this connecting bar has an inturned longitudinal edge hook 16, which turns back under the head flange which carries it, so that said hooks may telescopically engage the edge rolls 12, on the wall sections which said connecting bar is to unite, as clearly shown in Fig. lof the drawing.

When a connecting bar is in place and in engagement with two wall sections, thevertical web 14, will project inwardly between the two rolls it unites and its lower end will straddle the upturned flange of the angle-bar,a notch 17, being provided in said web-end to receive said up-turned anglebar flange as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. By means of this notched engagement between the connecting-bar web and the angle-bar, inward or outward bulging of the outer Wall is prevented.

The construction employed to connect the upper end of the wall sections with the roof is immaterial to the present invention and may be shown in my said prior patents.

In a house where this double wall construction is employed it is customary to provide a flooring 6, which latter is preferably laid before the inner Wall is set up. The inner wall of the house which is eX- posed to view on the interior, is also formed of sheet-metal sections 1.8, which preferably extend from the floor to the ceiling as in upper edge ward-depressed portions 21, of the corrugations in the outer wall, as shown in Fig. 2, of the drawing.

The vertical end edges of the inner wall sections 18, are all alike, except those that form a corner joint, in that each has a free the angle-bar'flange said inner wall sections 7 have a lateral flange 24, whose surface is parallel with the surface of the wall section 18, and from which another flange 25, extends or projects inwardly, at a right angle as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Another lateral flange 26, is also parallel with the plane of the wall section 18, andis formed in the end edge of the wall section whereby to produce a shoulder, and from the flange-shoulder 26,

another and slightly inclined flange 27 is located between the flange 26 and the inner surface of said wall section, this flange 27, being inclined forms with flange 26, an acute angle, for a purpose presently to be explained.

It is therefore to be understood that each vertical end edge of adjacent inner wall section has a zig-zag flange formation and that an acute angle or dovetailed shoulder is produced. by the inclined flange 27, and the shoulder flange 26.

' In practice, after the outer wall has been set up, the inner wall sections are seated with their bottom flanges 19 on the floor and with the notches 23, straddling the vertical flange of the angle bar. The inner Wall section is. then forced outwardly so as to push the free edge flange 22, between the roll ,12, of the outer wall section and the web 14 of the connecting bar 13, whereby said inner wall section is clamped by said roll and web into place. When the next adjacent inner wall section is likewise forced into position the web 14, of-the connecting bar will be confronted on opposite sides by the zig-zag flange formations 2 4, 25, 26 and 27 on said adjacent inner wall sections. To conceal said web 14, from .view at the interior of the room and prevent the exposure of any metal on the interior that has an outside exposure, I provide a.

longitudinal convex-concave joint strip 28, whose longitudinal edges 29, are turned inwardly so that one edge thereof will seat against the shoulder flange 26, of one inner wall section and beheld in engagement therewith by means of the inclined flange 2?,while the convex or rounded surface of pling bar.

ner wall sections have naaacee the joint strip will bridge over the web 14, and the other longitudinal edge 29, will, seat against the shoulder flange 26, on the next adjacent inner wall section and by means-of this joint strip the zig-zag flanges and the web 14 will all be concealed and no metal that has a direct outside exposure will be exposed on the interior at the joint.

It will also be seen that this construction forms an air space 30, between the inner and outer wall sections iso'that the outer side of the inner wall sections will have an exposure in said air space which is protected against the extreme temperatures to which the outside walls may be exposed.

A. molding 31, is preferably secured along the flooring at the lower edge of the inner wall sections to keep the latter pressed outwardly with its flange 19, seated against the flange of the angle bar.

- By providing the notch 17 in connecting bar web 14, and another notch 23, in the.

flange 22, of the inner wall sections both the inner and the outer wall sections are held against either inward or outward displacement.

Where a right angle joint is formed, for example, as between a front and a side wall the edges of the adjacent wall sections have the same form of roll 12, as the other sections and the coupling bar 32, has hooks 33, to engage the adjacent rolls, and also has an inwardly-extending web 34. A clip bar, 35, clips the web from the inner side and said clip bar has laterally projecting flanges 36, that seat against the inner side of the outer wall sections and presses the same outwardly so as to keep the rolls 12, in engagement with the hooks 33, onthe cou- A bolt 37, secures the clip bar and web.

At these corner joints the edges of the ina shoulder 38, formed thereon so that said-shoulders will have position at opposite sides of the web 34, of the coupling bar.

A corner j convex and has its vertical edges 40, turned inwardly and seated against the shoulders 38, while said rounded part conceals and covers the web 34.

i In extreme climates I havefound it desirable to provide an additional means to separate the inner and outer wall sections so as to make the interior of the house more comfortable against heat or cold on the exterior. In such instances 1 provide an interm ediate partition 41, which I secure to the inner side of the stop flanges 26, on the inner wall sections so as to form a plurality of airlchambers 42 and 43 respectively between'the outer wall and inner wall sections, as shown in Fig. 6, of the drawing.

, I claim- 1. In a wall structure for sheet-metal oint strip 39, is rounded or houses, the combination of a plurality of outer wall sections the vertical edges of adjacent sections being united; a plurality of inner wall sections joined together each section having at its vertical edges a zig-zag flange formation which projects toward and contacts with said outer wall sections; and a vertical strip whose surface is curved outwardly and bridges over the joint between every two inner wall sections and said curved strip retained to its position by the frictional contact of its edges within the edges of the wall sections.

2. In a wall structure for sheet-metal houses the combination with a series of outer sheet-metal wall sections, of means interposed between and connecting the vertical edges of adjacent wall sections,said connecting means extending inwardly from the outer side of said outer wall sections; inner sheet-metal wall sections each having a plurality of shoulders adjacent to its vertical edges and the edges of two adjacent inner sections extending outwardly at opposite sides of the inwardly-extending connecting means of the outer wall sections, and a plate connected with and extending from a shoulder of one inner wall section over and covering the said inwardly-extending connecting means and engaging a shoulder on the wall section at the opposite side of said interposed connecting means.

3. In a wall structure for sheet-metal houses the combination with a; series of outer sheet-metal wall sections, of means for connecting the vertical edges of adjacent wall sections said connecting meanshaving a web portion extending inwardly between the vertical edges of the wall sections which it connects; inner sheet metal wall sections extending between the inwardly-projecting webs of two connecting means and having a shoulder formed thereon at one side of each web and a plate? having one of its vertical edges engaging a shoulder on an inner wall section at one side of the web said plate extending over and covering the said web and having its other edge engaging a shoulder on the wall section at the other side of said web.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE D. PRUDEN. Witnesses:

THos. E. EnwARDs, CHAS. B. MANN. 

